The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-05
ABOUT POULTRY HOUSES.
Repairs and Improvements That should be
Made Before Winter.

Repairs and improvements That Should be
Made Before Winter.
am sorry to say there are many.
very many farmers who do not yet see
the necessity of providing comfortable
winter quarters for their poultry.
They have good buildings for all other
stock on the farm, but seem to think
that the poultry can get along some
how mostanywhere. And fowls that
are thus left unprovided for do gener-
ally get along through the winter
somehow, but their owners do not real
ize much profit from their poultry
fiocks Hens that live out-of-doors
through our cold Northern winters, or
in some old shed that is no better than
tree-top so far as warmth is con-
cerned, are not given to laying fright
through cold weather. when eggs
bring the best prices. To be sure, a
house is not all that is necessary to in
duce winter-laying, but it is one thing,
and one that you must have to begin
with; therefore, put up comfortable
house.
Can't afford itP Don't tell me that!
am sick of hearing farmers say they
can not afford decent house for their
poultry. There isn't a farmer in the
United States who can not afford a good
poultry house, i.e., if he is able to work.
l don't care if money is scarce, and
lumber high. Sods and straw, and a
few poles, will, if put together in good
shape, make comfortable hen house.
all except the doors and windows; and
you can scrape togethepmoney enough
to get these. The work you can do
yourself. know what l am talking
about. ] have seen such houses, and
for solid comfort they are, especially
in localities where the winters are
made up of blizzards and 40-degrees-
below zero weather, along ways ahead
of more ornamental and costly struc-
lures. have now before me letter
from woman who lives and keeps
poultry away out in Dakota, and she
says: you would probably laugh to
see my poultry house, for with the ex-
ception of the doors and windows. and
the poles which support the roof, it is
built of sods and straw; but in that
queer-looking house my sixty odd hens
laid right along through the fearful
weather which froze thousands of cat
| tie to death last winter"
And the farmers who have poultry
i houses better clean them up before win
ter What! again? Why, cleaned that
house from top to bottom last spring,
and supposed that would do until next
spring. Well, it won't. No matter
how thoroughly you cleaned the house
last spring, you should give it another
thorough cleaning before it is time for
the fowls to go into winter quarters.
Several inches of fresh dry earth, OF
sand, if you can get it. on the floor. a
thorough whitewashing of the walls,
and an equally thorough cleaning Of
| the nests and roosts, is needed to put
the poultry-house in healthful condi-
ton for the fowls who must spend the
greater part of the time indoors fol
FIVE months after November !. The
poultry-houses that need repairs should
also be attended to in season. Broker
windows, loose-fltting windows, loost
boards. gaping cracks and leaky roofs
do not Interfere with the fowls com
fort in warm weather; but in winter
such things are not conducive
to egg-production or the health Of tn
fowls. Attend to these things wnl'
the weather is pleasant and the worl
can be done comfortably; if p'is of un
til latc-in the senson, the ehansrs ar
| that il will not be done nj III, aud III,
fowls and YOUR pockets will suffer ZION
| yopr nSgisct. = reiyie Eavnasr